Danger in China
It would be a grim tragedy for China if the conclusion of the long war with Japan were followed by a civil war between the Chungking Government and the Yenan Communist Government —and this at a time when China holds the position of one of the five Great Powers on the world Security Council. Considerable un- easiness was caused by the efforts of the Communists to induce Japanese commanders to surrender to them and thus acquire Japanese arms. It is the Chungking Government, of course, which is recog- nised by the Allies, and since 1937 the Communist forces have nominally been under the supreme command of General Chiang Kai-shek. The General has rushed forces northwards into Shansi in the hope of putting a wedge between Yenan and the key cities of the north ; and there are reports of fighting in certain districts, though it is not dear between whom. The Generalissimo has urgently appealed to Mao Tse-tung, the Communist leader, to meet him in Chungking and discuss the differences, but so far without effect. Much depends upon the line taken by Rcss:a. If Moscow should urge Yenan to compose its differences with Chungking, that might prove decisive. War and peace are in the balance in China. Thus within a few days of the capitulation of Japan a test case is presented to the Great Powers of their capacity to act together to prevent a disastrous war. Meanwhile some slight difficulty is threatened about Hong Kong. The island has been British for over a hundred years, and will in the natural co.irse, as Mr. Bevin stated on Monday, be restored to this country as result of the Japanese surrender. The announcement by Mr. Byrnes, the Ameri- can Secretary of State, that the question of Hong Kong is to be dis- cussed at the forthcoming Conference of Foreign M:nisters comes as something of a surprise. There is nothing obvious to discuss there, though talks between London and Chungking are no doubt possible.
